OceanaGold's Macraes mine Photo: SUPPLIED
Mining company OceanaGold has consent to keep mining gold at its Macraes site in East Otago for another five years.
The Otago Regional Council has approved the Macraes operation until 2030, through a non-notified process.
The company had been planning a major expansion of the mine and intends to submit a fast-track application for that work next year.
OceanaGold's senior vice president for legal and public affairs Alison Paul said the consent was a narrow application to keep the mine running in the meantime.
"These consents allow mining to continue at Macraes through to around 2030 and authorise the clearance of a small area of grass and tussock on land we own adjacent to the Innes Mills Pit, and for us to continue depositing tailings into the existing Frasers tailings storage facility," she said.
The non-notified consent process was appropriate given the minor level of additional effects, she said.
Under the company's expansion plan - known as Macraes Phase Four - it planned to dig the open pits deeper and wider, process low-grade ore and develop new tailings storage.
Paul said the company expected to apply for consent to operate until 2035.
"While this will be the first time we use fast-track at our Macraes Operation, our experience using fast-track in a major project has shown us that the same level of detail currently required under the RMA is equally required under fast-track. The same investigative and evidential rigour, and the same environmental standards remain. We remain committed to working constructively with all stakeholders throughout this process," she said.
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